Shock-preventing device for railway-crossings.



B. R. SIMMONS. SHOCK PREVENTING DEVICE FOR RAILWAY CROSSINGS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.27, 19w. 1,279,028. PIItonteI-l Sept. 17,1918.

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INVE/y TQR B. R. SIMMONS. SHOCK PREVENTING DEVICE FOR RAILWAY CHOSSINGS.

APPLICATION HLED SEPT- 2]. I91?- 1 ,279,028. Patented Sept. 17, 1918.

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' invention is concerned.

BURT n. SIMMONS, or PALMS, cALIFonniA.

snoox-rnnvnnrme DEVICE non nAILwAY-onossmGsi V Specification of Letters ?atent. Patented Sept. 17, 1918.

Application filed September 27, 1917. Serial No. 193,484.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BURT R. SIM M oNs, a a citizen of the United States, residing at Palms, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shock-Preventing Devices for Railway-Crossings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a railway cross ing and particularly pertains to a shock preventing device therefor. v

The principal object of this invention is to provide 'a railway intersection with a hydraulically operated mechanism controlled by the movement of car wheels along .the tracks to selectively continue the rails across the intersection so that there will be no violent jar'as the'wheels pass thereover.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings in which: V

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in'plan illustrating a railway intersection, the tracks of which are provided with the shock preventing mechanism with which the present Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section drawn upon a reduced scale illustrating in a diagrammatical manner the compression mechanism of the device during the down stroke of its piston. 7 M

' Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating the device during the up stroke of the piston.

Fig. 4C is a view similar to the two preceding views illustrating the final positions of the" valves within the compression mechanism during the final stage of the up stroke of the piston.

Fig. 5 is a view in vertical section on the line 55 of Fig. 1 illustrating the yieldable mounting of the compression bars in relation to the side of the track.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view in vertical section and elevation illustrating one unit of the complete device, particularly disclosing the arrangement of the vital parts of the compression and expansion members.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 10 and 11 indicate parallel rails forming a track 'A, while 12 and 13 indicate parallel rails of a, track B. As shown, the tracks A and B intersect each other at right angles. The rails previously designated are continued across the intersection by filler rails 10 11, 12 and 13 which form continuations of the rails 1013 respectively. The filler rails are shorter than the intervening spaces between the main rails and thus form flange grooves along which the flanges of car Wheels may pass. These grooves are adapted to be filled by filler blocks, eight of which are used. The spaces at the opposite ends of the filler rail 10' may be filled by blocks 14 and 15, while the spaces at the opposite ends of the rail 11 may be filled by blocks 16 and'17. .The spaces at the opposite ends of the rails 12 and 13 may be filled with blocks 18 and 19, and 20 and 21, respectively. All of the blocks are rectangular in plan and may be vertically actuated by a mechanism with which the p)resent invention is particularly concerned. uring said actuation the blocks will be divided into two sets, one set for the track A-, comprising blocks 1l17 inclusive, and another set for the track -B, comprising the blocks 18-21 inclusive. These sets are indirectly actuated by the wheels as they encounter compression bars 22 and 23, and 24 and 25, the bars 22 and 23 being disposed in the flange groove of the rail 11 of track A and upon opposite sides of the intersection while the bars 24 and 25 are disposed within the flange groove of rail 13 of the track B and at opposite sides of the intersection.

The compression bars are shown in detail in Fig. 6 of the drawing where it will be seen that they extend horizontally along a rail of each track and are supported by bolts 26 and 27 which extend through parallel slotted openings 28 and 29 in the bars and secure them for vertical movement to the sides of the rails. The bars may be of any desired length and are here shown as being approXi-.

mately two feet long and as being beveled at their opposite ends to allow the flanges of car wheels to readily ride upon the'bars larged head portions upon which the bars 7 r r rest and may have horizontal sliding'movement. This rod is vertically disposed and is fitted with a collar 36 upon which a helical a packing gland '38 in the cover casting 39 I of a reservoir 4:0. The reservoir has an integral lower end wall %1 through which the rod extends and around which a packingbox 12 is positioned. lnterposed'between the collar 36 and the cover casting is a large compression spring d3 which combines its action with the smaller spring 37 above thecollar ior 'a purpose which will be hereinat'ter set forth. Secured to the lower end ofthe piston rod is a piston head An annular facing i5, preferably formed of cast iron, is secured around the peripheral edge of" the piston head and is formed with grooves within which piston rings 46 are placed. The piston so formed is reciprocably mounted within a cylinder 4:7 of a compression chamber l8, the chamber and cylinder being cast integral and boltedbeneath the reservoir 40, the bottom wall/ll ofsaid reservoir acting as a closure for the compression chamber. v

Communication may be established between the reservoir 4L0 and the compression chamber 48 through three openings,a relief valve opening 49 indirect communication with the main portion of the compression chamber, a suction valve opening- 50 in direct communication with the upper end of the cylinder s7 and above the piston a l, and a return by-pass 51 in communication with the cylinder above the piston. The relief valve opening 49 is formed with a tapered valve seat around its lower edge against which a relief valve will normally be seated. This valve is fitted with a vertically extending stem 53 which passes through a bearing 5% supported by a spider cast across the opening. A collar 55 is disposed at the upper end of the stem 53 and held by a nut 56. l'nterposed between the collar and the bearing 5% is a helical expansion spring 57 which normally acts in a positive manner to hold the valve upon its seat. The suction valve opening 50 is also formed with a tapered valve seat around its lower edge against which a suction valve 58 is normally seated. This valve is formed with an upwardly extending vertical stem 59 which passes through a bearing spider 60 and is supported by an ex 'iansion spring 61 interposed between the bearing and a collar 62 secured at the outer end of the stem. The by-pass opening 51 is threaded to receive a lay-pass plug (33 which extends vertically into the reservoir 49 and is formed with a by-pass 69: which leads from the upper end of the cylinder at? and into the reservoir. A needle valve regulates the flow of liqui from the cylinder l7 through this by-pass.

ill be een that the stem 01 the needle exin the cover 39 and is there formed with a head '67 by: which the stem may be rotated. It will be understood that the stem is threaded and mount-ed-within the threaded bore of the by-pass plug 63.

T ielov.er end of the compression chamberlS is formed with a master valve opening '68. This opening is formed with a tapered scat around its lower edge adapted to receive a master valveitl9'. lt isto' be understood thatthe valve 52, 58 and 59 areall of the puppet valve typeand are each disposed w th their stems extending upformed a pairof opposed balanced valve iembersl and '76. These members are spaced from each other along the stemand simultaneously bear upon separate valve seats formed in a valve cage at the bottom of the valve'member 6.9 and integral therewith. A screw-cap 77 is fastened over the lower end or" this cage to support an expansion spring 78*which bears against the lower .one 76 of the valve members and holds the valve members 75 and 76- upon'their seats. A valve chamber'79 is formed in the valve cage and at the opposite ends of this chamber arethe valve seats for the valve members 75 and 76.-- An inlet opening 80 is formed through the side of the cage and in communication with the chamber 79. The upper valve "member 75 normally closes a pair of by-pass ducts 61 and 62 which'provide communication between the chamber 79 and the compression chamber 48 when the valve member 75 is in its lowermost position; A long by-pa'ssduct 83 extends downwardly along the wall of the valve cage and establishes communication between the cavityin the cap 77 of the cage and the compression chamber 4-8, thu allowing communication to be established between thevalve chamber 79 and the compression chamber when the lower valve member 7 dis down. it will be understood that the surface areas ofthevalve inember s 75 and 76 as exposed withinthe members 75 and 76. This mechanism consistsof a rocker lever .84; which is pivotally mounted upon a pivot pin '85 extending across. the compression chamber toppivotally support the lever for verticalv swlnging movement. The pivot pin is disposed at a 7 point intermediate the ends of the lever and permits the lever to be actuated indirectly b the movement of the piston 44 and its ro The end a.- of the lever extendsinto a fork 86 secured beneath the piston head and the'opposite side of its pivotal center and I normally acting against the projection .90.

' The: opposite end b. of the lever 84L is provided with a pin 93 wliichprojects into a vertically disposed elongated slot 94 formed through a connecting shackle 95 secured rigidly to the lower face of the relief valve member 52. As normally disposed,

' thepin 93 seats at the lower end of the slot andthus will permit the valve member '52 to have a downward motion without restriction by the pin 93 or its lever. V

The master valve opening 68 is surrounded by a downwardly extending sleeve 96 within which a'pipe elbow 97 is fastened. This elbow is connected with a main pressure pipe 98 which extends parallel to'the rail under which the compression mechanism is mounted, beneath and across the intersecting track and to the other compression mechanism along the same rail. In this manner the compressionmechanisms and 31 will be connected by the pipe 9S and the compression mechanisms 32 and 33 by a similar pipe 98. Apipe T 99 is interposed mideway the length of the pipe 98 and in communication therewith. This T is also in communication with a secondary supply pipe 100 extending parallel to the pipe 98 and connected with expansion mechanisms 101 and 102 at its opposite ends. The mechanisms 101 and 102 arebeneath the filler blocks 16 and 17 and are provided to vertically reciprocate them in a manner-which will be here- The filler blocks 14: and 15 areprovided with expansion mechanisms 103' and, 104 which are in communication with each other through'the medium of a secondary supply pipe 105. This pipe is connected with the secondary. supply pipe 100 by a connecting pipe 106,.thus allowing a fluid under pressure to simultaneously pass from the pipe 98 into the auxiliary pipes 100 and 105 and each ofthe expansion mechanisms 7101-104: inclusive. 7 It will be understood that the pipe 98" lSjlIlCOlIIIIHlIll cation with auxiliary supply pipes .100 and .105 and the connecting pipe 106 which sup- .PllQS. a noncompressible fluid to expansion mechanisms 101410 inclusive.

One of the expansion mechanisms is shown in Fig. 6. andhas a vertically disposed cylinder. 111 within which a piston 112' is mounted. This piston is normally held at the bottom of the cylinder by a helical expansion spring .113 which is inclosed within the cylinder and interposed between'the upper end 114 of the cylinder and a collar 115. forming a part of the piston rod 116 atthe lower end of which the piston is fastened.

Mounted upon the upper ends of the piston rods 116 are the filler blocks 14+21 inclusive. These blocks are directly connected-fwith these pistonrods and are reciprocated as a noncompressible fluid is delivered from the compression mechanisms to the expansion mechanisms. i i

In operation, the railway crossing is assembled as shown inFig. 1 and'supplied with the compression mechanisms '30'33 inclusiveand theexpansion mechanisms 101 .104 inclusive and 107 to 110 inclusive The compression mechanisms are normally disposed with their parts in relation to each other as shown in Fig. 6 and the'expansion mechanisms as shown in the same figure. When the truck of a car'passes along one of the tracks and approaches the intersection, a forward wheel oftlie truck will encounter one of the compression bars along the track, as indicated by the l nnerals '22, 23, 24.- and 25. The flange of the wheel wi'll bear down upon this bar and move it in the direction of the arrow--c as shown in Fig. 6. This will cause the stem 3 10f the bar to telescope within the upper end of piston rod of one of the compression mechanisms. Duringthis movement the expansion spring 37 will. be compressed to allow. the compression bar to move to an unobstructing position along the sideof the track. After the move pistonrod35 downwardly against the action of the large compression. spring 43.

a As the piston rod moves downwardly it will force the piston 44 downwardly within the cylinder 4 This movement of theapiston will create a suction in the cylinder 47 and above the piston drawing the suction valve 58 downwardly and drawing the incompressible fluid from the reservoir 40. At the;

same time, force will be. exerted by the pis- 7 ton upon theincompressible fluid withinthe chainberlS which will force the master valve downwardly from its seat and causethemcompressible fluid totravel along the various conduits to the complementary expansion mechanisms connected therewith. In the present description it will be assumed that the-co1npression mechanism 33 has been actuated. This willsimultaneously force the incompressible fluid into the cylinders of expansion mechanisms 107, 108, 109 and 110. During this stage of the operation, the suction valve 58 and the master valve 69- will be in the positions shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, at which time the pistons 112 within the expansion cylinders 111 will be actedagainst to raise piston rods 116 upwardly against the action of the springs 113 and raisethe filler blocks. In" the-present case blocks 18*21 inclusive will be affected. The complementary compression mechanism 32 will not be effected, due to the fact that the ends ofthe compression bars adjacent-the intersectionofthe tracks are beveled to allow the flange-ofthe wheel to wedge between the bar andthe rail and force the bar outwardly from the railand against the compression of springs. 11:7- which are mounted upon the bolts 26 and 27 of each bar, as particularly shown iniFig. 5. r

The compression bar connected with the actuated compressionmechanism 33 will not I be immediately. restored'to its original posiin the cylinder 47.

tion by the expansive action of springs 37 and 13 but will gradually move to this posi tion during a predetermined interval of time. The speed of movement of the. compression bars to their original position will be regulated by the flow of the incompressible liquid from the cylinder e7 through theby-pass opening 64 to the reservoir 10, the needle valve 65 being adjusted to reg-ulate this flow and thus to allow the piston 44 to rise to the top of the cylinder 47 under the influence of the expansion spring 43. As thepiston moves upwardly, the pressure in the piping system produced by the expansionsprings 113 will act to force the master valve 69 against its seat and at the same time the piston will draw the relief valve-52 from its seat, as particularly shown in Fig. 3. This will allow the fluid from the reservoir to pass into the chamber 48 and occupy the displacement space caused by the upward movement of the piston 44 with- It will be understood that the. independent action of the relief valve 52 is possible due to the loose connection betweenthe valve shackle and the lever 84. As the piston continues to move up wardly, the actuating finger 91 of the dog 87 will strike the lower face of the end 0) of lever 84. This finger has been held in this position by lug s4 whichextends outwardly from the extension 86 of the piston rod to limit the downward movement of the counterweight. The engagement of the finger with the lever takes place when the piston is almost at the end of its upward stroke and will cause thereliefvalve 52 to be positively drawndown to permit a larger volume of fluid to-pass from. the reservoir than did pass when the relief valve 52 was partially opened by suction. At the same time the relief valve is forcefully drawn down, the end 'Z)+ of the lever 84 will strike the stem 74: of the balanced valve and then strike the stem-'70 ofthe masterivalve, thus breaking the seal of the master valve and then opening it to allow the incompressible liquid to pass 'into the chamber 4:8from theexpansion mechanisms which had previously been effected thereby. At this instant, the relief valve 52 andthe master valve 69 will both be opened, as shown in Fig. and, as will be understood, a complete equalization of the pressure and volume of incompressible fluid will beelfected in the compression chamber 48- andIthereservoir 40, as well as within the pipeisystem leadingv to. the expansion mechanisms. Duringthis time the piston is still moving to its uppermost position and the trip finger 89 of the dog 8.7 has engaged the projection 90 upon the sidewallof theic0mpressionchamber. As thepiston reaches the upper end ofits stroke the engagement of these twomembers will cause the actuating finger 191-.to swing downwardly from beneath the end a of lever 84: and consequently allow theend .b of the leverto swing upwardly to relieve the lever pressure from the lower valvestems 7 0 and 74tand tension from therelief valveshackle 95. It will be understood that the end a. of lever 8A is heavier than the end Z2- and willnormally hold the end b in its uppermost position and out of operative engagement with thevalve shackle 95 and the valve stems 7O and'M. When the piston reaches its up permost position, the incompressible fluid will be. restored to the reservoir 40 andthe compression chamber 48 as before the car wheel actuated the compression bar, the relief: valve 52, thesuction valve 58, the master valve. 69, andthe. balanced valve members 75- and? 6 will' allb e seated, and the mech anism will be in condition for further operation.

As the compression bar is slow in being restored to its original position, the filler blocks indirectly effected thereby will be held in their uppermost position an interval of timev predetermined by the adjustment of the needle valve 65 in relation to the by-pass bore 64; This will be quite convenient when a train of cars passing along the track. In case, however, the bar is slightly or entirely raised, the small expansion spring 37 will allow it to be easily depressed without violent shock to the bar. A

It will thus be seenthat the crossing apparatus here disclosed may be easily set up for operation and will operate in a positive automatic manner to form continuous rails for the wheels of an approaching car, ir-

the combination, construction and arrangement of parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention as claime I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a railway crossing, of a series of tread members located adjacent the intersecting rails thereof, a cylinder associated with each tread member, a piston in each cylinder, a hydraulic reservoir connected to said cylinders, and means carried by said reservoir operative to force a liquid therefrom to actuate the pistons in said cylinders.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a railway crossing, of a series of tread members located adjacent the intersecting rails thereof, a cylinder associated with each tread member, a piston in each cylinder, a hydraulic reservoir connected to said cylinders, means carried by said reservoir and operative to force a liquid therefrom to actuate the pistons in said cylinders, means for returning the last-named means to its normal position, and means for regulating said return movement.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a railway crossing, of a series of tread members located adjacent the intersecting rails thereof, a cylinder associated with each tread member, a piston in each cylinder, a hydraulic reservoir connected to said cylinders, means carried by said reservoir and operative to force a liquid therefrom to actuate the pistons in said cylinders, means for returning the last-named means to its normal position, and means actuable by said returning movement to permit of the return of the liquid into said reservoir.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a railway crossing, of a series of tread members located adjacent the intersecting rails thereof, a cylinder associated with each tread member, a piston in each cylinder, a hydraulic reservoir connected to said cylinders, means carried by said reservoir and operative to force a liquid therefrom to actuate the pistons in said cylinders, and means for automatically returning the last-named means to its normal position.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a railway crossing, of a plurality of tread members located adjacent the intersecting rails thereof, pistons associated with said tread members, a cylinder for each of said pistons, main and branch feed pipes connected to said cylinders, a sectional reservoir connected to said main feed pipe, a valve for controlling said connection, a depressible piston located in the lower section of said reservoir and adapted to force the liquid therefrom into the feed pipe for raising the first-named pistons, means for permitting the passage of a fluid from the upper section of said reservoir into the space above the piston therein when the latter is lowered, and means for re turning the piston to its normal position.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a railway crossing, of a plurality of tread members lo cated adjacent the intersecting rails thereof, pistons associated with said tread members, a cylinder for each of said pistons, main and branch feed pipes connected to said cylinders, a sectional reservoir connected to said main feed pipe, a valve for controlling said connection, a depressible piston located in the lower section ,of sald reservoir and adapted to force the liquid therefrom into 7 the feed pipe for raising the first-named pistons, means for permitting the passage of a name to this specification.

BURT R. SIllflIONS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner o! Eatenta,

' Washington, D. 0. 

